What I Would Tell My 18 Year Old Self

Today is my 28th birthday. I’ve had mixed feelings about today, but regardless birthdays always allow me a chance to look back and see where I have come from.

I have come so far in the last 10 years. I look back at the 18 year old me, and I really see a completely different person.

In honor of my birthday (since I obviously can’t go and run 28 miles to celebrate) I thought I’d take a look back and talk about things I would tell my 18 year old self.

Let it Go

I am a high stress person. I let everything and anything bother me. I have gotten substantially better at it over the past 10 years, but it still needs work.

If I could go back I would tell myself to let things go. Breathe. Take life as it comes and don’t stress about everything way too far in advance.

Don’t Waste Your Tears

Going along with the stress I’ve always been over emotional. It’s gotten better as I’ve gotten older, but without a doubt I would go back and tell myself to not waste my tears on people or things that don’t matter.

Hold Your Head Up High

I would tell myself to hold my head up high. We are all worthy of so much and I would tell my 18 year old self to be proud of the person that you are.

Being young we often don’t realize how strong we are.

Make the Most of Every Day

The time passes so fast. I can’t believe that I am already 10 years out from my high school graduation and 6 years since college.

Sit back and enjoy every single day. The time will be gone before you know it and you’ll be an adult. We all know how much fun that is! HA!

Get Active

I didn’t really get into running until I was almost out of college. I would encourage myself to get active early. To get involved with others and to not wait on the sidelines.

Go After Your Dreams

I have only really started listening to this advice in the last 6-7 months, but I would without a doubt say to go after your dreams no matter how far out they may seem. How often do we talk about something and it never happens? I know I have many times over the years.

Go after what you want. Don’t worry about how long it will take to get there, how much work it will take or if it will even ever happen. Just go and get it!

You Are Beautiful

Let’s face it. I think every 18 year old girl needs to hear this.

Family Will Always Come First

I have always followed this, but I would take the chance to remind myself. Even when you get frustrated with each other they are still the most important people in your life.

They are your fan club, your support system, your critics and at the end of the day they are what matters.

Skip Your “Blonde” Phase

Save your hair. Skip the urge to dye your hair blonde in a few years. Just do it.

Embrace your brunette self.

A Few Close Friends are Better Than Many

10 years ago I wanted to please everyone. I didn’t want to make anyone upset and was trying to focus on pleasing too many.

A few friends will beat 20 so-so friends any day. Keep those few close and the others don’t matter.

I’m sure if I sat here long enough I could come up with many more. I’m proud of where I have come from. Of the woman that I’ve become, and I look forward to seeing what the next 10 years will bring.

I’m blessed in so many ways and no matter what I am thankful for this life I was given!

What would you tell yourself 10 years ago?

How do you celebrate birthdays?

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39 Comments

Eva
on April 9, 2014 at 8:20 am

Great words of wisdom 🙂 i think there is a certain awareness that comes with experience and age, and the older we grow, the more we appreciate the little moments that make up our life. happy birthday to you!

Happy Birthday!!!!! Hope you have a wonderful day! These are some great lessons, and I often think about this, if I could go back, what would I say? These are definitely some from my list too. It is great to think how we only get wiser, and learn to enjoy life more by putting what is most important first! Thanks for sharing 🙂

These were great and a good reminder at any age. Even for me who turned 38 on Friday :-). I would say identify your core values and never waiver. Always keep learning and improving because the idle mind is definitely the devil’s workshop! Embrace failure. Trust your gut.

This is awesome!! Happy birthday!! I would tell myself to cut back on the drinking haha… it would have saved me a lot of self-agony hating my body for all the empty calorie pounds, saved friendships and saved me from a lot of embarrassing moments (but good stories now lol).

I also would tell myself to not be afraid of everything and just do it – I’m probably not going to die so what’s holding me back?

Love this! Ah I am only 4 years out of 18 but I feel like I have grown so much! I would tell myself to DO ME, stop trying to be anyone else. To not waste time on people who don’t bring out the best in you. That sleep is good. That education is a blessing.

Love your advice! I chuckled at the “Skip the Blonde Phase” – I would advise myself NOT to cut bangs! Haha. Seriously though, I wish I could tell my 18 year old self that I don’t deserve the hurt I am inflicting, and that there other ways to deal with life than through bulimia. Aw, that makes me sad!

Happy Birthday Sara! Have a great day! I can’t believe how time goes by so fast. I just got an invitation in the mail for my ten year reunion. The older you get, the more you realized how things that have stressed you out in the past, just don’t matter anymore. And yes I agree with the blonde phase. Ever since I’ve stopped I can tell my hair is much stronger and shinier!

Happy Birthday!! This list encompasses many of the things I’d tell my 18-year-old self. I often think, ‘if only I could go back and say…’, but then I realize we were meant to make the mistakes we did and walk through the hard times we encountered. Here’s to a fun day celebrating your day of birth and the next 10 years of life lessons! 🙂

This is such a good post! I’m going to do this for my birthday this year. I can so relate to some of these points – like being over stressed and emotional. This shows what’s really important in life. Happy birthday! 🙂

Happy Birthday! Wishing you many blessings. I love this list. I think as I have gotten older (turned 42 in February) I have learned to “see the big picture”. One bad moment, day, week or month is not worth stressing about. Go with the flow and know things will change. They always do.

I started a tradition when I turned 40 and that is to take a trip for my birthday. So far, I have celebrated in Costa Rica, Florida Keys and this past year Panama. It’s really fun 🙂 Plus, it’s mid February so a perfect excuse to escape the cold for a warm/sunny location.

These really resontated with me because I recently went back through some old journals and thought, “I can’t believe I worried about that! I can’t believe I thought that was a big deal!” I mean, it’s all relative because I couldn’t have gotten the perspective I have now without going through everything between now and then. That’s what I really appreciate about getting older: being able to let so many more things go! I turned 31 earlier this year and I can genuinely say that I enjoy this age bracket. It only gets better. 🙂

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